AquaC RX-1 or Korallin???

[KSReefer]

I was all set on getting a Korallin calcium reactor for my personal christmas present, but now I have seen the AquaC RX-1? Does anyone have any experience with the AquaC RX-1 yet? Has anyone seen any reviews? The only thing I can dig up is there generic sales description that is on every website that is selling them. I have never owned a calcium reactor so I do not know of the "finicky settings or inconsistent results" that the aquaC claims to have solved. So any help would be greatful,

Thanks,

[gabe3d]

Ooh that is a nice reactor. I like it a lot, it has some really nice feature like the recirculating CO2 line and also the DWYER gauge valve. I have a Korallin 1502 and i don't really like it. By the way how much is it?

[gcarroll]

The AquaC no longer has the Dwyer valve. Just a bubble counter. Also I like mine a lot.

[KSReefer]

Originally posted by gcarroll
The AquaC no longer has the Dwyer valve. Just a bubble counter. Also I like mine a lot.

What made you go with that one over the other brands? And why or what features makes you like it a lot?

[gcarroll]

Here is a quote I made about calcium reactors a little while back. As you will notice, the AquaC has all that is important to me.

Originally posted by gcarroll
Things that I look for in a Calcium reactor:

#1 – Reverse flow for low maintenance (Disolves all the media with no sludge settling on the bottom)
#2 – Reliable quiet pump (Eheim, Iwaki, Panworld)
#3 – Screw on lid (priceless unless you are the type that prefers thumbscrews or wingnuts)
#4 – compact size (no sense having a reator taking up space that can be used for something else)

IMO, a second chamber is not necessary. You will notice that most high end reactor do not have them.

[gabe3d]

Greg,

One of the benefit of having a cylinder chamber is that the CO2 can more or less be dispersed more evenly through the media. Since this body is rectangular and the portion where the CO2 is coming from is quite small relative to the surface area and coming from the side of the chamber, common logic would say that the Media would not get used up as evenly as it would in a cylinder . Do you think that is the case or is there some sort of dispersion plate at the bottom of the media and foam pad?

So no more Dwyer then, do you have one with it or are you using a needle valve to control the amount of CO2?

Thanks

[KSReefer]

I really like the screw on cap that the RX-1 has, I think I am leaning toward the Korallin because of the footprint. I have an area that is 8 3/4 X 11 5/8 that I can use. The RX-1 is 8 1/4 X 9. It would fit but it would be tight and leave me little room. The Korallin has the 6 1/2 " circular base so that would give me more room.

If the major difference between the two is only the screw on cap I will probably end up with the Korallin. The screws do look like a pain in the but compared to the screw cap but space is more valuable right now.

Is there any reason to steer clear of the Korallin?

[gcarroll]

Originally posted by gabe3d
Greg,

One of the benefit of having a cylinder chamber is that the CO2 can more or less be dispersed more evenly through the media. Since this body is rectangular and the portion where the CO2 is coming from is quite small relative to the surface area and coming from the side of the chamber, common logic would say that the Media would not get used up as evenly as it would in a cylinder . Do you think that is the case or is there some sort of dispersion plate at the bottom of the media and foam pad?

So no more Dwyer then, do you have one with it or are you using a needle valve to control the amount of CO2?

Thanks

The CO2 is only used to reduce the ph of the water inside the reactor and it plays no part in reacting with the media on it's own. The water in any calcium reactor (regardless of the shape) should be the same ph all throughout as it is a closed loop device.

My reactor has the bubble counter.

[gabe3d]

I see that is good to know. Thanks for the info Greg.

I hate restarting my Korallin when i need to prime the pump. It's a pain in the butt tilting that thing over and making sure there is no air in the volute.

[KSReefer]

Originally posted by gabe3d
I see that is good to know. Thanks for the info Greg.

I hate restarting my Korallin when i need to prime the pump. It's a pain in the butt tilting that thing over and making sure there is no air in the volute.

Would a feed pump fix this problem? Just curious. I also like the fact that greg said ( i think he said, at least in another thread) that he does not have a feed pump on his RX-1.

[gcarroll]

Correct. No feed pump on my AquaC. My drip rate has remained constant as long as I have had the reactor. I asked AquaC if I would need a feed pump for the reactor. Jason said, "feed pump for what?" As if he did not know some reactors need a feed pump. At that piont I knew that one was not needed.

[gabe3d]

Originally posted by gcarroll
Correct. No feed pump on my AquaC. My drip rate has remained constant as long as I have had the reactor. I asked AquaC if I would need a feed pump for the reactor. Jason said, "feed pump for what?" As if he did not know some reactors need a feed pump. At that piont I knew that one was not needed.

What does the input line on the RX-1 connects to?

I also don't have a dedicated feed pump like an aqualifter in mine, but i tap my return line to feed my calcium reactor. I don't think you can resolve the tricky restarting problem since the pump is higher than the reaction chamber or any bleed or effluent line. So water from the pump is going to be the first one to go. This doesn't usually happen even when you turn off the pump, but just annoying when it does because when you tilt it the input line occasionally will suck in media and make it's way to the pump and sometimes get jammed or stuck.

[gcarroll]

I just have the input line in the sump with a sprinkler head filter to strain the incoming water. Once the reactor is full of water it will begin sucking water out of the sump.

[Aquaticman74]

Originally posted by gcarroll
I just have the input line in the sump with a sprinkler head filter to strain the incoming water. Once the reactor is full of water it will begin sucking water out of the sump.

That's awesome!
Do you have any pics of your Greg?

[JRaquatics]

He posted pics on the AquaC club thread.

[gcarroll]

Don't have any pics of mine running. I do have pics of it prior to filling. Also, mine is really much larger than a standard RX-1 and may turn out to be the prototype for a larger version.

[gcarroll]

Also you may notice that the production model has the CO2 recirculation coming from the lid. That was changed due to reduce the CO2 bubble inside the reactor. I have not changed my lid because I have seen no disadvantage to having the CO2 bubble. The pump still won't have airlock issues.

[Aquaticman74]

Thanks!
That looks much better then the pic they have on websites selling them.

[KSReefer]

Yes, it looks awesome,

[JRaquatics]

I plan on getting an AquaC Reactor this summer

[Aquaticman74]

Greg,

Are you running a kalk reactor along with the Ca Rx to keep your PH up? I'm just curious to how efficient these are with CO2. I had to with my old Geo, but the Korallin reactor I ran before that didn't drop the PH much.

[poopsko24]

Mike, just so you know, the appropriate abbreviation for reactor is RA ............... HTH.

[gcarroll]

Originally posted by poopsko24
the appropriate abbreviation for reactor is RA ............... HTH.

Funny, never seen it that way. I have regularly seen it as Rx.